Book IV. of J E S U S C H R I $ T. 307

pure and upright Heart, offered to God in this Sacra- ment. He defires nothing but thy felf, and he defires this, not for his own, but for thy fake. He who brings it, let him not doubt Acceptance ; for God never de- fpifes or reje(5ls a true Penitent, but embraces return- ing Prodigals, with the tendernefs of a Father ,• and grants them Pardon for the paft, and Grace for the future. His Word, his Oath is paffed. And he who cannot Lie may fecurelybe depended upon. As I live, faith theLordy I hazfe no fkafure in the Death of a Sinner^ but rather that he jJjouU he con- ■^^^^' ^^"^• "verted and live ; And at what time foever the wicked Man turneth away from hrsTVickednefs which he hath com- mitted y and doth that which is lawful and ri^ht , be jliall Jave his Soul alive ; Repent therefore ^ and turn your felves from all yourTranfgreJfionSy and fo Inicjuity fliall not be your ruin. For I will be merciful to your Unrighte-- oufnejjesy and your Sins and Infirmities will I "^'^- ^^^'' remember no more.
CHAP. VIIL Chriji died for Usy that we fhould live to Him.
Chrift. ] T^Ehold and take Example by me. I hung Xj upon the Crofs with a naked Body, and ftretch'd-out Arms, and thus offered my felf to my Father for thy Sins. No part of me remained, which was not given in Atonement to appeafe the Wrath of thy juftly incenfed Judge. And thou in like manner muft think it thy Duty, freely and wholly to give up thy felf, a clean and holy Sacrifice. Every Power, every AffecStion of the Soul muft be confecrated to me in the bleffed Sacrament. What doth the Lord require of thee, but to confult Uiy own Intereft , and fave
thy
3o8 €)f m SImttatton Book i v.
thy felfj by conveying over thy felf to Me ? What- ever elfs thou dedicated to my Service, is of no va- lue, no eonfideracion with Me ; for I feek not Thine, but Thee.
As ail the World befides would fail 'of procuring thy Happinefs and Satisfadiion^ if deprived of Me , (o all thy Wealth and Gifts fet apart for my ufe, can never be well-pleafing in my fight, unlefs with them thou givcft thy own felf. My whole Perfon was fa- crihced for rhy Redemption; Either of my Natures fii'gle had been infuOicient to propitiate for thy Sins ; My whole Body and Blood is fet upon my Table for thy Entertainment ,♦ And what can be the meaning of all this, but that I (hould be entirely Thine,and Thou entirely Mine? Eat if thou artnotlincere in this Ob- lation, if it be made with any Tro^ifos and Excepti- ons ; the Oifering is not perfed:^ the Sacrifice is maim- ed, defedive in its Parts, and the Union, which fhould follow upon it, muft be proportionably lame and im- perfed. The firft thing therefore to be taken care of, ' is the liberal and full refignation of thy Perfon. This mult recommend and findihe all rhy other Ads of Religion j and^ till thou art releafed from the Bondage of divided Affedions, thoucan'fl not attain Grace and true Liberty. ¥i^r^ct it is, and upon no other account, that, of fo many ProfelTors, and feemingly good Chri- Itians, fo very few ftand fall in the Liberty with which Chrift hath made them free. The Condition is fixed Luie xiv. * ^^^ irreverfible. If a Man for fake not all that he hathy he cannot be my Difciple. And there- ' fcrt if thou defire to be found in this happy Number, ericr y Courts with a Free- wiJj Offering, and con- ^very Inclination, every Faculty of thy Soul. Ha.^ no Lave, no D.e fires, but Mine. Submit' thy felf ■ '}vholly to my Holy l^Vill and Pkajureyandftudy to ferve me ' iruly in Hollnejs and Righ[ko^{fjteJ5>: alhtl^s'Djays\\andin M the Acilons of thy Life, ^' • ^ '•
CHAP.